


Let Her Live

by DaisyQueenYisel



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Let her live, Lets forget the whole unnecessary stalker arc jonathan had btw, M/M, this is post show, v Eleven centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8009800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyQueenYisel/pseuds/DaisyQueenYisel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eleven's alive, and she's glad to be-as is everyone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Its 2:30 am someone save me from this emotional strife

“No,” Eleven giggled, backing away from Hopper as he playfully stomped towards her.

 

“Tickle monsters don't take no for an answer!” he shouted, before scooping her up and tickling her sides, her legs flailing as she shrieked and laughed in delight.

 

“Stop, stop!” She shouted, snorting as Hopper tickled her neck and caused her to tense up. Hopper laughed, his chest sore from the last fifteen minutes of a pure laughing fest with his new daughter. He sighed, ruffling her short hair before lying flat on the floor. He rubbed his chest and groaned.

 

“Jesus, kid, you've got a hell of a kick.”

 

“Don't say hell. That's a bad word,” Eleven said playfully. Hopper looked at her with a faux scowl.

 

“Let me guess: Joyce told you so.”

 

Eleven shrugged. “Maybe,” she said, a smile playing at her lips as she attempted to sound nonchalant. Hopper shook his head, chuckling as he pulled his 13 year old daughter into a hug.

 

“You’re catching on too quick to my weak points, kiddo.”

 

“What is weak points? I mean, what  are? ” Eleven asked sincerely, her question muffled as she lay on her father's chest. Hopper hummed pensively.

 

“Like, what can make you do something, or something that isn't as strong as the other parts of you. Like how I'm big and tough and can arrest bad guys without breaking a sweat, but I somehow get convinced to wear three coats of nail polish and watch the Nerd Wars by you.”

 

“Star Wars,” Eleven corrected softly. Hopper rolled his eyes.

 

“Right, right. But you get what I mean, right El?”

 

“Yes,” she said contently, satisfied with his explanation. “Can we watch it again?”

 

Hopper laughed. “We just watched it an hour ago.”

 

Eleven pouted, using her newly learned Puppy Eyes technique as best as she could. Hopper simply shook his head.

 

“Tell you what: the boy's’ll be free in two hours after school; once I drop you off at Joyce's, you can watch it with them, okay?”

 

“Okay, Pap-”

 

Eleven’s voice hitched, and Hopper could feel her tense up. He rubbed her back soothingly.

 

“Hey. Hey, El, it's okay, you don't have to call me that if you don't want to.”

 

“I want to,” Eleven whispered immediately. The living room was silent, and Hopper mustered all of his might to keep himself from crying. His late daughter called him papa as well; having Eleven wanting to do the same just seemed surreal.

 

“Well, uh, then call me Papa Hop.”

 

Eleven smiled mischeviously. “Okay, Jim.”

  
Hopper tsked. “You're too quick at learning to get on my nerves, kiddo.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 7th grade , y'all.

“Hey, Eleven!”

 

Mike waved Eleven over to their lunch table as Eleven glanced nervously around the cafeteria, obviously overwhelmed by her first time in a middle school lunch rush. She hurried over, squeezing in between Mike and Will as she took her seat.

 

She had been looking forward to her first day of seventh grade. Sure, it was already halfway into the school year, but after taking a year of homeschooling and numerous placement tests, she had been discovered to be a bit(correction: a lot) of a genius, possessing an impressive IQ of 170. The only struggle she really had was with speaking English, but she was already catching up to her grade level; slang and metaphors were her only obstacles. Other than that, however, she had floored Joyce and Hopper as she consumed book after book of information, each a more advanced kind than the last. Now, she really did fit in with the rest of the boys as she took an interest in science. Lucas was the astronomer, Dustin the chemist, Mike the technician, Will the biologist, and Eleven, the budding psychologist. She was absolutely fascinated by how the human mind worked, and wanted to know more about her power and about the people around her. So, she took her place among her friends, nervous and stressed as she faced hundreds of preteens in all direction.

 

“Hey El, you want my burrito? It'll make me too gassy,” Dustin said, waving his burrito in front of her. She shook her head.

 

“My dress will get dirty,” she said absentmindedly. She tapped her foot rapidly, the sole of her white slippers slapping out the linoleum evident as she looked at her food with distaste. She meticulously chose her outfit, settling for a white blouse and blue skirt paired with an old blue varsity jacket Hopper saved from when he used to attend the Hawkins Middle School. Her hair, brushed into a neat, growing pixie cut that showed off her dirty blonde hair, had a white headband in it. Will nodded.

 

“Understandable.”

 

Luas rolled his eyes.

 

“Whatever. I'll take it, Dustin. Even though you don't need a burrito to be the group's very own fart factory.”

 

Dustin shoved him as he snorted, biting into the burrito. Mike put a hand on Eleven’s shoulder comfortingly.

 

“Hey, it's okay to be nervous,” He said reassuringly. “Anyways, we have biology after this, so we get to introduce you to Mr. Clarke! That'll be fun, right guys?”

  
“Oh, definitely. And we can show you our setup for the AV club after school!” Will piped in. Lucas and Dustin agreed, and Eleven relaxed, relieved and grateful to have her friends by her side.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First dates are the best train wrecks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even sorry

“Ten, Wheeler,” Hopper said sternly, staring down a sixteen year old Mike Wheeler with an intimidating glare. “She gets home by ten, or you die.”

 

“Papa!” Eleven reprimanded, blushing as she looked at her father in embarrassed horror. She internally groaned after the aftermath of several years of awkward kisses and dancing around labels. Eleven simply asked Mike out on a date the day before, and it had been chaos ever since.

 

“E-Excuse me?” Mike had spluttered, turning beet red as he closed his locker. El frowned, clutching her notebooks and binder closer to her chest.

 

“Would you like to go on a date with me, Mike?” She said slowly, her words practiced and patient.

 

“No! Yes! I mean, uh, I wanted to ask you but, uh-” Mike said, his rambling cut short as Eleven's confusion turned to visible disappointment. She twirled the ends of her hair, which almost reached her shoulders. Mike sighed.

 

“Sorry. I’d love to, El.”

 

Eleven looked up at him in surprise, and Mike could have sworn his heart skipped a beat as her beautiful smile lit up her eyes.

 

“Holy shit!” Nancy squealed as Eleven told her the news over the phone the day of the date. Despite her being in college at Stanford, Nancy remained Eleven's confidant, and she relied on her for information on all things social/romantic. It was a rare weekend she was spending at Hawkins, too, so Eleven had no clue of the game plan Nancy had forming in her mind.

 

“Language!” Her mother scolded. Nancy casually ignored her, clasping her hands together in delight.

 

“I'll be over in ten. I'm gonna doll you up so good Mike won't know what hit him.”

 

Nancy rushed into the Hopper house without even knocking, startling a half naked Hopper who was in the kitchen eating Eggos in his uniform shirt and boxers with Joyce. Nancy was unfazed, waving hello at the two and gunning it for Eleven's room, holding an arm full of dresses and a box full of makeup. Hopper looked at his wife in surprise, and the two rushed into his room as Hopper pulled on his pants, and whipped open Eleven's door to find Nancy tossing Eleven a dress as she pulled out a pair of tweezers from the box.

 

“Whoa, what's this?” Hopper said, absolutely bewildered as he took a bite out of his waffle. Nancy looked at him in confusion.

 

“Eleven has a date with Mike tonight. Remember? She told you, right?”

 

Hopper choked on his waffle. Joyce patted his back in an effort to ease his sudden reaction as Eleven looked at the ground shyly.

 

“Whoops,” she whispered. Nancy sighed, patting her on the back.

 

Three hours later, Eleven was donned with a beautiful jewel neckline, navy blue polka dot dress, her hair put up in a wavy ponytail with a navy blue polka dot wrap to match. Her curves were accentuated with the dress, and wearing two inch navy blue heels(which she had to use her powers more than once to keep steady in), and only a bit of mascara, blush, and lip gloss, she looked like an angel. Hopper grumbled under his breath as Eleven walked out of her room, doing her best to adjust to the heels. Nancy dusted off her hands, obviously pleased with her work.

 

“Oh, my little girl's all grown up!” Joyce cooed, pulling Eleven into a hug. Hopper crossed his arms.

 

“Dress is a bit short, if you ask me.”

 

“Jim Hopper!” Joyce chided, swatting her husband's arm.

 

“Y-yes, Hopper. I mean sir,” Mike stammered. Eleven shot a look at her father, who simply returned it full force.

 

“Go before I change my mind,” he said resignedly, losing the battle of will against his daughter. With a victorious grin, she waved goodbye to her father and took Mike's hand, running towards the Wheeler mini-van with glee.

 

Arriving at the movie theater just a couple minutes later, Mike spotted his sister and Jonathan eagerly awaiting their arrival at the cinema's entrance. A double date with the Michael's adult sibling and his stepson was the only way to appease Hopper(and Mike and El both owed it to Will, who suggested the compromise). He parked across the street, letting out a slow breath.

 

“Okay, uh, stay there real quick,” Mike said to El, getting out of the car and rushing around to open her door. He extended out a hand to her, and El noticed he was wearing the light blue polo shirt she liked on him. She smiled at him and took his hand.

 

“Thank you,” she said shyly, standing up on the sidewalk.

 

Picking a comedy to watch to ease the awkwardness that was bound to multiply between the teens, Nancy and Jonathan decided they should all watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It was a wise decision, because as the audience laughed and laughed, the shyness between Mike and Eleven melted away, and soon Mike's arm was wrapped around El's shoulders, and they were stealing kisses  as often as they could when they thought no one was watching.

 

The goodnight kiss was amazing, in both Mike and El’s opinion.

 

“Thank you for taking me to the movies, Mike,” El said softly, standing close to Mike as they stood on the doorsteps of her house. Nancy decided to spend the night with Jonathan at her house, so she forced Mike to walk Eleven home, leaving the two alone. The time was 9:57, and their date was coming to an end. Mike smiled.

 

“Thanks for asking me out first,” he said. Eleven giggled, and at the sound of her lovely laugh, Mike couldn't resist the urge anymore.

 

“Can I kiss you goodnight, El?” He asked quietly. Eleven looked up at him with with a shy grin, and nodded.

 

He tenderly closed the space between them, his lips meeting hers, and his hands were suddenly on her waist, pulling her close to his body. El matched his eagerness, wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed again and again, the goodnight kiss turning into goodnight kisses. It was amazing.

 

At least, until the police siren and headlights of Hopper's car went off. The two jumped apart in surprise as the car's PA system crackled.

 

“This is Chief Hopper speaking. Step away from the daughter, Wheeler. I repeat, step away from the daughter.”

 

Muffled snickers sounded from inside, and the two looked to catch a brief glimpse of Joyce, Dustin, Lucas, and Will looking out the window before the blinds shut in a snap. Mike gulped in terror, but felt a hand grab his own and squeeze it gently. Meeting Eleven's gaze, he relaxed a bit.

 

“Goodnight, El.”

  
“Goodnight, Mike.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valentine's day didn't play out exactly how Eleven planned it to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really really like this one lmao

Nancy’s eyes widened as she opened Eleven’s handmade card, the three words forming such an unexpected question written carefully.

 

_“Be my Valentine?”_

 

Nancy glanced at Mike, who was staring at her in confusion from the kitchen as Eleven shuffled nervously on the living room carpet.

 

“A Valentine is who you have a special feelings for,” Eleven said quietly, her words seeming as though she was repeating them. “For someone you think is pretty and nice.”

 

It was the first Valentine’s day Eleven had experienced, and after days and days of Joyce and Hopper trying to explain to her what it was about without “ruining her innocence”, Eleven concluded she knew enough to do something about her crush on Nancy. She hadn’t expected it, but after learning a Valentine was someone you liked because they had things you liked a lot about them, she knew she wanted Nancy to be her Valentine; she smelled nice, she was pretty, she hugged her whenever she wanted, and her tummy fluttered with “butterflies”, like Mike described it, whenever she smiled at her.

 

“Is Steve going to be Nancy’s Valentine?” Eleven had asked Mike one night, after a game of D&D had broken out into a scuffle between Dustin and Lucas, ending with a messy basement, and irritated Karen, and an ultimatum to have the basement cleaned in an hour or not be able to hang out with Mike for a solid week.

 

“No, they broke up a month ago,” Mike said as he put the blankets back onto the couch. He looked at her from the side, clearing his throat.

 

“Do you, uh, know who you want to be your Valentine, El?”

 

Eleven looked up the stairs leading to the house, Nancy’s laughter reaching her ears.

 

“I think so,” she said quietly, smiling at Mike while she handed the game board to Will as he put away the game.

 

“Um,” Nancy said, putting her hand on Eleven’s shoulder gently. “I’m sorry El, but I-I don’t think of you that way. Not that it’s bad to like me o-or other girls!” She said as Eleven shrinked in visible disappointment. “I just-I’m too old for you, is all! I’m flattered, though. But I think it’s best to stay as just friends. Don’t feel bad about it, you’re too good for me anyways.”

 

Eleven looked down at the floor, lip quivering. “Okay,” she said softly. Nancy sighed, unsure of what to do as Hopper looked at her in complete surprise, still unable to process the exchange. Nancy pulled her into a hug, and Eleven took a shaky breath, doing her best keep her composure in front of her father and the rest of her friends. Nancy ruffled her hair and gave her a smile as she pulled out of the hug.

 

“Why don’t you go see if any of the others have some Valentine’s cards for you, okay?” She suggested. Eleven gave her a weak smile and nodded, walking back to her friends with a long face.

 

“Hey El, what’s up?” Mike tried to say nonchalantly, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. Eleven shrugged, sitting on the counter as she fiddled with the buttons of her blouse as she wiped away tears falling from her eyes as discreetly as she could.

 

“Hey, I got you a card and a cookie, Eleven!” Dustin said cheerfully. He gave her the gifts, and Eleven smiled gratefully.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I got you a box of chocolates, ‘cause my mom had an extra one and it’d be weird if I gave it to one of the guys,” Lucas said, handing her the box. Eleven laughed softly, rubbing her eyes and grabbing the box. Dustin huffed.

 

“Dude, I love chocolates, though!”

 

“I know,” Lucas said, which earned him a slap up his head as he snickered.

 

Will rolled his eyes and handed her a sheet of paper. Eleven looked at it and gasped. It was a drawing of her, done with colored pencils and pen. It was strikingly realistic, and Eleven looked at Will in surprise.

 

“I’ve kind of been drawing you a lot, since you’re a pretty cool subject to draw,” Will said with a bright smile. “I thought you might have liked to have one of the drawings I did!”

 

“I look...beautiful,” Eleven said, looking at the drawing in awe.

 

“That’s because you _are,_ ” Mike muttered under his breath. Eleven looked up at him.

 

“Oh, I got you something, too, El,” He said quickly, hoping to avoid her asking about what he said. He handed her a handmade card, and Eleven took it gingerly, smiling as she rubbed her fingertips across the surface of the construction paper. She opened it, and began to read it aloud

 

“Eleven, I-”

 

“Wait!” He said abruptly, ears turning pink in embarrassment. “M-Maybe read it later by yourself.”

 

Eleven looked at him in confusion, but just nodded.

 

❤

 

“Papa?” Eleven said as she and Hopper walked into the house, the party having just ended.

 

“Hm? What’s up, Eleven?” He said with a yawn. He unlocked the front door, letting her and the Byers in first. She turned around, stopping him from entering the house.

 

“Read this to me?” She said, handing him the Valentine. He smiled at her assuredly.

 

“Sure, kid. Let me just lock up, wait over at the couch. You want Joyce to help?”

 

She nodded, and Joyce smiled at her.

 

“Alright, sweetie. Will,-”

 

“No, just you two,” She said hurriedly, and Joyce and Hop looked at each other.

 

“Um, okay?” Joyce said suspiciously.

 

❤

 

“‘Eleven, I know you probably won’t get what I mean when I say this right away, so I’m going to try and explain it as best as I can,’” Hopper read aloud as he sat on the couch, his arm around Eleven and Joyce as Eleven sat in between them.

 

“‘I like you,’” Hopper continued, pausing for a moment as he stared at the card, taking a deep breath. Joyce patted his hand, urging him to continue. Hopper cleared his throat.

 

“‘I like you, but in a special way. I want to make sure you’re okay all the time, I think you’re pretty no matter what you look like, and even though you’re my best friend, I want to be around you in a different way than the guys. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I just thought I’d ask; Eleven, will you be my Valentine?’”

 

Joyce sighed, bringing a hand to her chest. “That’s so adorable,” She said with a smile.

 

Eleven blushed, eyes widening as she realized that while she was pining after his sister, Mike had a different kind of special feelings for her. Her crush on Nancy was different in the sense that she couldn’t really be around her without blushing, but with Mike, she trusted him, and liked it when she held his hand, and whenever he would hug her and tell her that he was glad she was there with him.

 

He liked her in the special way.

 

The most surprising revelation for her, however, was that she felt the same way; she just didn’t know that was what you called those feelings you have for someone.

 

“Thank you, Papa,” Eleven said hurriedly, snatching the card from his hand and racing into her room, slamming it behind her without even touching it.

 

“Aw, isn’t puppy love just so sweet?” Joyce said, scooting into Hopper’s embrace. Hopper sighed heavily.

  
“I’m not ready for this,” He groaned. Joyce just laughed, hugging him and patting his chest sympathetically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay but you cant tell me that its not canon that el has a crush on nancy


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Eleven faces a greater adversary than she's ever faced before.

A scream pierced through the peaceful air of a Sunday morning. Joyce snapped awake, recognizing Eleven’s voice and Will’s shouts coming down the hall. She flipped off the blankets and rushed out of the room, panic bubbling in her chest as she raced towards the noises.

“What is going on? Will? Jonathan?” She shouted, racing into Eleven’s room to find all of her kids frantically shouting inside of it.

“Kill it, kill it, Jonathan!” Will shouted, turning around in circles as he searched for something.

“I can’t find it!”

Eleven shrieked, pointing to the carpet.

“There!”

Joyce looked down as Jonathan, who held a sandal in his hand, slapped down onto a spider that was scurrying away.

“Did you get it?” Will asked frantically. Jonathan sighed and shook his head.

“It’s just a spider?” Joyce said, shoulders slumping in relief.

“Joyce!” Eleven shouted, running to her and hugging her tightly. Joyce stroked her head and sighed.

“Honestly guys, I thought you were all being attacked by some monster, o-or a burglar!” She scolded as Will looked underneath Eleven’s bed.

“Sorry, mom,” The boys mumbled. Jonathan gasped.

“I see it! It’s huddling under the dresser! But I can’t reach-”

The dresser lifted into the air, floating about three feet above Jonathan’s head. The spider froze in its tracks as it was exposed. Jonathan glanced at Eleven for a second, reminded that once again, his stepsister was the strangest thirteen year old he’s ever met. He raised the sandal and slapped down, and with a quick satisfying squish, the ordeal was over. He lifted the sandal up and showed his siblings the squashed spider.

“Ew,” Will and Eleven said simultaneously, mild disgust evident in their voices.

“What in the hell are you kids screaming about?” Hopper grumbled, walking into the room half-asleep. Joyce sighed, smiling as she shook her head.

“Eleven found a spider in her room, and the boys were trying to kill it for her.”

“It was big!” Eleven tried to justify as she looked at her father apologetically. Hopper just chuckled, ruffling her hair as she remained in Joyce’s embrace.

“Well, the whole house is up now,” Joyce said, looking at her husband with a smile. “I’ll get Jonathan to help us make some breakfast. Who’s up for some waffles?”

Eleven nodded her head vigorously, causing Joyce to laugh.

“Other than Eleven?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, it's a bit short. but during weekdays, im p busy, so look forward to longer updates on weekends/holidays!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> el is v important to me it is important for it to be canon that she loves herself and has self confidence and good self esteem thank you

Eleven had a love-hate relationship with mirrors. Even though she  _ knew  _ the boys didn’t care, even though she  _ knew  _ Hopper would just tell her she was beautiful as she was; she just couldn’t help but feel insecure about how she looked. She was only 14, starting high school with her friends that very day, and she felt sick to her stomach as she gave up on brushing her short hair, which had grown into what Nancy called a “pixie cut”.

 

“Eleven, let’s go!” Hopper’s voice rang out from his bedroom. He didn’t have to shout too loud, since she slept in the living room of his trailer until better accommodations (and a raise) were available to her father. Eleven sighed, picking at her the loose threads that poked out at the hem of her blouse as Hopper tied on his belt and put on his hat.

 

“Come on, kid, I don’t want you to be late for your first day of high school,” Hopper said with a hint of cheer. He paused for a second, noticing the quiet demeanor that his daughter put up whenever she was feeling down.

 

“Hey, don’t feel nervous about today. It’ll be just like another day of school, and you’ll still have the boys with you,” Hopper said encouragingly, patting her on the back. Eleven looked away, staring at the mirror to her side.

 

“Not that,” she said quietly. She looked up at her father in hesitation.

 

“I don’t...feel pretty. But I want to.”

 

“Oh, El,” Hopper sighed, crouching down in front of her. “You  _ are  _ pretty. Even if you don’t have long hair or super long legs like those damn supermodels you look at on TV. Just ask any of the boys; I’m sure they’ll agree with me.”

 

Eleven nodded, still unconvinced. “Okay.”

 

Hopper scratched his head as he looked at his watch and gave her a conspiring smile.

 

“Hey, you want to call Nancy and see if she can help you out before school starts?”

 

❤

 

Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin walked around the halls excitedly, chatting and shouting as they mapped out the courses for their schedules, seeing if they had any classes with each other(it was a trick question-they were all in honors, therefore had almost every class together, with the exception of P.E.).

 

“Hey, you think El has any classes with us?” Mike asked as they all walked out of their English class. Lucas nodded.

 

“Oh, definitely. She’s in all honors. I heard from the chief that the principal even wanted to move her up a grade, but she wanted to stay in the same classes as us, so he said no.”

“Us nerds stick together,” Dustin said with a smile. Will walked ahead and turned the corner as he nodded. He paused, only the back of his head visible as he said, 

 

“Oh, hey El!”

 

The boys turned the corner in a hurry, and were taken aback by the sight of their friend.

 

She was wearing a lacy pink headband on top of her fluffy hair, a light pink blouse and black skirt, and black slippers with lacy stockings. She flashed them a smile, shuffling underneath the gray varsity jacket over her shoulders and walking towards them. Mike smiled at her broadly, feeling his face heat up as he looked at Eleven’s first day outfit.

 

“Is this why Nancy had to take me to school twenty minutes later than I wanted to?” He said jokingly. Eleven looked up at the ceiling innocently.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Man, why do you gotta the rest of us look bad? I’m just wearing whatever was clean, and Dustin’s wearing what he’s  _ been  _ wearing for the past three days,” Lucas complained lightly. “Of course you have to come to school all pretty.”

 

Eleven rolled her eyes, secretly proud of having been complimented the way she had hoped she would be.

 

“She doesn’t have to dress up to look pretty, though,” Dustin said. “Right, Mike?” He said, elbowing his friend with a playful grin. Mike laughed and pushed him away, cheeks red.

 

“Yeah. You look pretty no matter what,” He said finally, flashing Eleven a smile. He checked his watch and sucked in a breath.

 

“Ten minutes! Eleven, we have to get you your schedule and find all of your classes, now!” 

  
Grabbing her hand, Mike and the boys dragged her across the school hallway and into the gymnasium, thrilled with the idea of starting a new adventure as a group; together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short update but i really like exploring the


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids cut loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it is imperative that Eleven bonds with every single one of the characters-even more so with every single one of the nerds

Eleven bobbed her head gently along as Lucas slapped a beat on the table out of boredom. 

 

“Lucas, knock it off,” Dustin groaned, shifting on the couch as he tried to fall asleep. It was a lazy day during Spring Break, and Mike was out of town with his family over in California. So, thanks to the generosity and patience of Mrs. Sinclair, the kids were hanging out at Lucas’s house, with not much to do.

 

“What else is there to do?” Lucas said with a huff, throwing his hands up in the air as he sat back on the edge of the couch. Will, who was drawing, looked at him with his mouth open to speak.

 

“No, we’re not gonna draw,” Lucas deadpanned. Will closed his mouth and simply shrugged before returning to his work. 

 

“Just go to sleep or somethin’,” Dustin mumbled, waving his hand in the air slightly. Lucas groaned, putting his head in his hands.

 

“We can’t be this bored just because Mike isn’t here.”

 

Eleven yawned, causing Will to yawn, who caused Lucas to yawn. Dustin began to snore.

 

“Agh, no!” Lucas exclaimed, getting up to his feet. He walked over to the stereo sitting on the table in the middle of their abandoned Dungeons & Dragons game, and pressed the play button. Synths poured out of the speaker with a fast beat; Will and Lucas remained unfazed. Eleven, however, was curious as Lucas began to snap in time, dancing in place to the beat. 

 

Will looked up at him for a long second, watching as Lucas continued to dance without interruption. Finally, he gave in, standing up and dancing around like a six year old on a sugar high. 

 

“Dustin, get your ass up and dance!” Lucas shouted. Dustin looked up drowsily, before yelping as Lucas yanked him up onto his feet.

 

“Come on, move to the beat!” Will said encouragingly. He looked at Eleven, who hurriedly looked away as she predicted what he was going to say next.

 

“Dance with us, El!”

 

Eleven looked away in embarrassment. “I…”

 

“Yeah, come on, Eleven! You gotta practice for when you and Mike go to the  _ Snow Ball  _ together,” teased Lucas. Eleven blushed, wringing her hands anxiously.

 

“I don’t know how,” She muttered.

 

“What was that? A yes?”

 

“I don’t know how to...dance,” Eleven said aloud. Lucas looked at her in bewilderment.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“What’d you expect, Lucas? For her to be a freaking ballerina?”

 

“No! It’s just...man, it’s screwed up that you don’t know all this because of you growing up in a lab,” Lucas said, looking at her sympathetically. He shook his head.

 

“I guess I gotta teach you.”

 

It was Eleven’s turn to be surprised. 

 

“Teach me?”

 

“Yeah, get up here!”

 

Lucas pulled her up off of the chair she was sitting in, gripping her wrists carefully.

 

“Okay, so the most basic kind of dancing you can do? Swaying. You just kind of,” Lucas trailed off, moving his hips side to side. Eleven smiled, trying to hold back a laugh as he made a funny face while doing so. 

 

“Get it?”

 

“I think so,” Eleven said. She moved from side to side slightly. Lucas nodded.

 

“Okay, so now you know how to dance.”

 

Eleven furrowed her eyebrows. “That’s it?”

 

“No, but you learn better by making up your own moves. So come on, weirdo, start dancing!”

 

Eleven rolled her eyes, twirling around confidently as she tried to show off that she knew more than she let on. She stopped and swayed, bouncing as she moved her hips from side to side. Lucas gave her a thumbs up and took her hand, twirling her around playfully.

  
“If you’re gonna spin, let someone help you do it,” He said, the instruction sticking to her mind. She nodded, though her eyes were admittedly a bit out of focus while she was dizzy. She recovered as quick as she could twirl, and soon, the kids danced the afternoon away as Eleven obeyed her teacher’s every word as she learned, little by little, how to dance.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's not "just the funny guy" to Eleven.

“Knock knock.”

 

“Knock knock?”

 

Dustin was about to continue the joke before realizing that Eleven misunderstood the concept already. He sighed, scratching his head.

 

“Okay, let me just-Let me explain this first.”

 

It was the night they found Eleven again. She was shivering, she was tired, and she was weak after defeating a battalion of baby Demogorgons that had spawned all over town throughout the sewage system. Everyone was covered in slime, blood, and bruises, but they were alive; they had managed to bring Eleven back from the Land of the Dead through a risky opportunity at creating a rift using the technology the bad men had used to create one in the first place. Dustin was trying to distract her as he, Lucas, and Will waited for Mike to come back with Nancy and Jonathan, who were taking care of the straggling baby Demogorgons that refused to give up so easily. 

 

Mike had yet to see Eleven; he was the one who volunteered to fight the first stream of baby Demogorgons that threatened to disrupt the process of opening another rift.

 

_ “If we get her back, keep her happy. Keep her alive, and keep her smiling,”  _ Mike had panted out, clasping Dustin’s shoulder before rushing after his sister, dragging along his baseball bat out of the building.

 

So here she was, after making every single one of the hell spawn that had erupted in town burst in ash as she had their parent. She was wrapped in a blanket, and Dustin and Lucas had an arm around her each, uncaring of the “cooties” they were so worried about catching just a year earlier. With a protective circle around her and a haste reintroduction to Will, Dustin was doing his best to make Eleven smile. He flicked a ball of goo out of her hair, not failing to notice that it had grown to her chin, a curtain of light brown hiding her fearful eyes.

 

“So I’ll say knock knock, and after that, you say ‘who’s there?’ And then’ I’ll say something, and then you’ll repeat it, and then add, ‘who?’ Let’s try it. Knock knock?”

 

“Who’s...there?” Eleven tried, smiling as Dustin clapped his hands together in success.

 

“Lettuce!”

 

“Lett-Lettuce who?”

 

“Lettuce in, the door’s locked!”

 

Eleven cocked her head slightly as Lucas shook his head in disappointment.

 

“The first joke she hears, and it’s your crappiest one.”

 

“Lettuce. Lettuce in. Let us in-?”

 

Eleven’s eyes widened in realization. She snorted, giggling as she began to understand the joke.

 

“Hey, it worked!” Dustin said, grinning. Lucas rolled his eyes.

 

“Of course it did.”

 

“Okay, I’m gonna just continue telling you more Knock-Knock jokes, ‘kay El? Knock knock.”

 

“Who’s there?”

 

“Interrupting cow.”

 

Lucas snorted, trying to cover his mouth. Eleven didn’t notice.

 

“Interruptin co-”

 

“Moo!”

 

Eleven jumped, startled at Dustin’s seemingly unprecedented outburst.

 

“In-Interrupting-?”

 

“Moo! Moo! Moooooooo,” Dustin said, placing his hands on his head to imitate horns. He nudged Eleven playfully, who looked at him in utter confusion but smiled anyways. Dustin then began to tickle her ribs, which caused her to kick and shriek in laughter. Lucas giggled as he joined in the tickle fight, tickling around her neck as Dustin tried to tickle her ribs without getting kicked.

 

“Dustin!” Eleven shouted before shoving him back with supernatural force, her accidental use of power pushing him onto the ground. Lucas doubled over in laughter, and Dustin blinked rapidly as he tried to process what had just happened. Eleven looked horrified at first, until Dustin burst out into laughter, and soon all three of them were smiling and laughing, and Dustin felt his chest swell with pride as Eleven held out a hand to him, pulling him back up.

 

“Thank you, Dustin,” Eleven giggled. Dustin took a ridiculous bow before ruffling her hair. 

 

“Don’t mention it. It’s great to have you back, Eleven.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byers Castle: Pillow Edition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive been swamped with hw but here have this

“Were you really mad at Hopper when you found out?” Will asked quietly. Eleven sighed, flopping onto her back on top of the soft blankets they had laid across the living room floor inside of their pillow fort. The kids were planning to have a sleepover later, but as Will and Eleven waited for their friends to arrive, they waited inside of the fort they had laboured over for most of the afternoon, and decided to talk to each other about themselves, for once.

 

“Yes,” Eleven said quietly. “But he did it to save you. I understand.”

 

“I wish he didn’t have to make that decision, though,” Will said as he lay next to his stepsister. “Maybe he should have just left me in...there. Then you wouldn’t have to have dealt with all of that bad stuff.”

 

Eleven shook her head. “No, bad stuff happens anyways. I am glad...glad you are here. I would have made the same decision.”

 

“Really? Sometimes I think I caused too much trouble. Like, maybe I should have just stayed at Mike’s longer, or maybe-”

 

“Don’t think,” Eleven said turning over on her side to face her brother. “We are here now. That’s good. Pretty good.”

 

Will looked up at his sister, who was staring at him with what would seem like a blank expression to most, but her features were soft, her eyes sympathetic, and he knew that Eleven really meant what she said.

 

“Thanks, sis.”

 

Eleven yawned as she nodded in reply, which caused Will to giggle.

 

“Come on, El, you can’t sleep before the sleepover’s even started!”

 

“Five minutes,” She mumbled, and Will laughed quietly as he watched her drift off into slumber despite his protests. He grabbed an extra blanket from the ground and put it over her, careful not to disturb her. Eleven was notorious to be the world’s grumpiest person if she was woken up before she got up herself, and he didn’t feel like “accidentally” losing control of his limbs sometime during the evening as revenge.

 

A knock on the door threatened to wake her though, and when it wouldn’t stop after three in succession, Will got up and tiptoed over as quickly as he could, before open the door slightly.

 

“Shh!” Will hushed an excited Mike. Mike looked a bit confused, before Will rolled his eyes and sighed.

 

“El fell asleep a little early, but she’ll be okay in like, five minutes. You know how she is.”

 

“Oh. What’d you guys do, play around before I got here?” Mike said in a hushed voice as WIll opened the door to let him in. He gasped silently as he took in the masterfully crafted pillow fort that took over most of the living room.

 

“No, she just made that,” Will said with a proud smile. “I kind of helped. She did most of the work, though. Her powers make for an easy way out of having to get out of a lot of sticky situations, but it tires her out a lot.”

 

“I know that already,” Mike said, rolling his eyes. “I was her friend before you guys even met, remember?”

 

“Yeah, okay. But did you know that five minute naps are just as effective on getting her energy back as a full night's sleep?”

 

Mike shuffled irritably and crossed his arms. “Well, I do now.”

 

Will laughed and shook his head. “Come on, Mike, it’s okay not to be a complete expert on all things Eleven. You don’t live with her, so you don’t see this much stuff as I do.”

 

“Yeah, okay,” Mike said in resignation, before his eyes lit up in excitement and he pulled out a familiar game board that was tucked under his arm.

 

“Hey, I made a beginner’s campaign so that we can teach Eleven how to play!”

 

“Oh, cool! She can finally make herself a character so she can play with us!”

 

Mike’s slight moment of jealousy was quickly forgotten midst the boys’ excitement, but their plotting was interrupted as a pillow slammed into Mike’s face out of seemingly nowhere. Will whipped around and saw his sister grumpily climbing out of the fort before a pillow was flung into his own face without her even lifting a finger.

 

“So loud,” Eleven mumbled as she stood up. Mike smiled at her and was about to greet her before three more pillows were flung into his face, causing him to stumble back.

  
“You woke me up. Face my wrath,” Eleven said with a playful, sleepy grin. Will smiled at his sister and shouted as he dove for the fort, grabbing a pillow to protect his face as he took over the fort. Eleven turned to face him, but was met with a smack to her back, and laughed as she found Mike holding two pillows in each hand. He began attacking her, and none of the boys noticed Dustin and Lucas’s arrival, but Eleven sure did.


	10. All Night Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night shenanigans-part one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been forever since i've posted but i was hit with sudden inspiration and wrote this like a demon speeding out of hell since i have like 0 access to wifi these days lmao enjoy

Dustin lay back onto the dusty old couch in the basement of Mike’s house, sipping a Coke while Mike was arguing with his sister about staying in that night, since she had some date with a guy she refused to identify. Will stayed back home due to an “awkward older brother emergency”, so it was just the four of them, consisting of Lucas, Mike, Eleven, and himself. Apparently, being fourteen wasn’t old enough to handle a night home together, which seemed a bit ridiculous since Nancy was going on a blind date(?), which would probably end in disaster.

“Dude, he should just say we’ll go home so she can just leave. That way we can stay until like, three in the morning, probably,” Lucas said as he lay on the rest of the couch, messing with an unplugged NES controller, visibly bored. Eleven, who rested her head on the new old coffee table(new to the basement, old in age)and sighed, eyes threatening to close.

 

“Hey, wanna make fun of Mike and how he totally goes all goo goo over El again?” Dustin suggested nonchalantly, though he couldn’t hide his mischievous smile as he pretended to take another sip. Lucas gave him a wicked smile as El raised her head off the table and huffed irritably.

 

“No, he doesn’t.”

 

“Eleeeeeeeeveeeeen,” Lucas cooed, his hands clasped to his chest, fluttering his eyes ridiculously fast as he pretended to be a love struck Mike. “Oh please, please kiss me until I can’t breathe! Touch me everywhere! Oh, Eleven, oh!”

 

“Stop!” Eleven said, her face red as she made a couch pillow slam into Lucas’ face. The two boys giggled stupidly, Lucas’ laughter muffled as the boys lazily continued to tease El. She just rolled her eyes, though the furious blush on her face gave her away.

 

“God, what a pain in the _ass_ ,” Mike muttered to himself as he made his way down the stairs. Dustin and Lucas kept on snickering, much to Eleven’s dismay.

 

“Honestly, the crap I go through just to please you jerks. What did you two even want to spend the night for?” Mike said, sitting down on the couch and effectively forcing himself a spot on it. Lucas groaned and dramatically rolled onto the ground, barely missing the coffee table due to Eleven inching it towards her with her foot.

 

“Eleven, don’t use your powers to save Lucas. He’s much nicer to be around when unconscious,” Mike said teasingly. El shook her head.

 

“I just used my foot,” She said. “No powers.”

 

Lucas huffed in mock offense. “I’m not even worth using your powers on? How rude, El.”

 

“You say that every time she doesn’t to doing something stupid or what you tell her to do, like throwing a PVC pipe into my bike wheel spokes or stealing donuts from Hop,” Dustin said, setting his Coke onto the table. Lucas scowled playfully.

 

“You just laid me out like that? Dude, you better watch yourself now.”

 

“Why? I got El to whoop your ass if you try and kick mine,” Dustin said with a smug satisfaction, since they all knew it was true.

 

“Mike, help me out here,” Lucas pleaded. Mike snorted and shook his head as he walked over to a stack of clean clothes on his washing machine. He took his shirt off, which made Eleven turn away, and tossed it at Lucas’ face before pointing at Dustin in warning. Dustin put his hands up in mock surrender, before sticking his tongue out at him and picking his Coke up again. Lucas pulled the shirt off his face and tossed it back, which Mike caught easily.

 

“God, what friends I have. At least you care about me, right, El?” Lucas said, standing up and walking over to her before planting himself right next to her. He placed his head on her shoulder and pretended to cry, which caused Dustin to giggle again, and Mike had to try not to laugh himself as he grabbed a clean t-shirt and walked back over to his friends. He ruffled Eleven’s hair on his way to the couch, to which she slapped his hands for and glared at him, where he just laughed and rushed to the couch before three pillows were launched at him.

 

“Seriously, though, we need to get down to business,” Dustin said, clapping his hand together and standing up. Mike looked at him suspiciously.

 

“Business? You buggin’, Dustin?”

 

“Oh my god, don’t ever say that ever again. Don’t say any slang ever again,” Lucas whined. Mike smiled mischievously and sat back.

 

“Take a chill pill, Lucas. I sound rad, and the fact that you can’t take it is bogus.”

 

Lucas lifted his head off of El’s shoulder and put his face in his hands.

 

“Christ, we’ve lost him.”

 

“Hey. Hey,” Dustin said, snapping his fingers. “Focus on me.”

 

“What do you want to say, Dusty?” Eleven said sleepily. Dustin perked at the nickname, and rubbed his hands together before holding his arms out like a curly-haired Jesus.

 

“My brothers, we are gathered here tonight to introduce an innocent sister into the wild, wild, world of the Nerds. As our newest member and friend, it is our responsibility to help her pull of the task of initiation: pulling an all-nighter.”

 

“Holy shit, dude. This is gonna be wicked,” Lucas said, clapping his hands in excitement. Mike grinned ear to ear.

 

“We’re going to drink so much Mountain Dew. El, you’ve gotta say yes to the all-nighter. It’s like, the best memory I have from my childhood. You’ll love it, I promise.”

 

“Uh...Are you sure? Because we all have to get up at ten to take me back home to Papa Hop-”

 

“Of course I’m sure! These two airheads are the ones who planned it anyways, so we’re all in this together!” Mike said, trying to grab his friends’ heads into his arms, only to have Lucas wriggle out of his hold and tackle him onto the couch. Dustin shook his head as he leaned away from what was turning into a fist fight, and grinned at Eleven.

 

“You in, El?”

 

El looked down at the coffee table pensively. She had stayed up all night before, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience; at least, not what she _had_ experienced was. Being forced to stay awake in a soundproof room with Dr. Brenner drilling her with exercises and instructions was hell. But these three were her friends. Maybe this experience would be different, judging by how excited they all were.

 

Eleven’s thinking was interrupted as she was knocked in the face with a pillow.

 

“Dude, you just hit your girlfriend!” Lucas laughed, rolling off the couch again as Mike pushed him off. Mike looked at El in both concern and fear, but El just giggled, before shaking her head and smiling at her friends.

  
“I guess I’m in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i know i didn't like explain ages or w/e but yeah theyre around 14-15 here


	11. Sleepover pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let Eleven sleep, boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAVENT SEEN SEASON 2 AT ALL LMAO

“I don’t remember what it’s like to feel well-rested. Sleep? Never knew her.”

 

“It’s only one, you big baby,” Lucas said as he swatted a drowsy Dustin’s arm. “Suck it up and drink more soda.”

 

“Maybe don’t? Diabetes is still a very real danger, and the last thing we need is to not be able to eat junk without risking actual death,” Will said as he pulled a handful of pretzels out of a family-sized bag and shoved the contents into his mouth.

 

“Look who’s talking!” Lucas scoffed as he tossed a pillow at Will. He simply dodged it and smiled impishly as he reached back into his bag.

 

“I think I can feel my cheeks more than usual,” Eleven said softly with half-lidded eyes as she gingerly patted her face. 

 

“What a lightweight,” Lucas sighed, shaking his head as he downed another neon-colored soda before letting out a hefty belch, to which Dustin wrinkled his nose to. 

 

“I have never seen a single digit on a clock before at night. Only in the afternoons. It’s surreal,” Eleven mumbled, dragging her hands down her face as she slouched down the couch cushions. 

 

“You’ll get used to it, sis. Especially with these boneheads.”

 

“I don’t want to get used to it. I want to  _ sleep.” _

 

Mike laughed and put down the controller to his new NES system(a generous birthday gift from his older sister), and sat down next to Eleven as she hummed softly to herself, her fatigue evident. He grabbed her wrists, which hung limp as he wiggled them around for a second.

 

“What’re you doin’?” Eleven mumbled before Mike began to softly smack her cheeks with her own hands.

 

“Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?” Mike repeated over and over as Eleven groaned with a tired smile. Lucas snorted.

 

  
“Eleven, don’t let him treat you like that; use your own powers to make _him_ hit himself!” Lucas said with exaggerated passion. Dustin giggled and turned over onto his back as he snatched Will’s bag of pretzels, to which he protested against immediately. Dustin simply stuck his tongue out at his friend, grabbed a pretzel, and tossed one at Eleven’s face.

 

“Whoops,” He said, before chucking one again. “Whoops.”

 

Mike laughed as he continued to annoy Eleven, who remained sleepy and patient like a long-suffering housecat.

 

“Actually, nevermind, I’m gonna mess with you now,” Lucas said as he got up and grabbed a whiffle bat the boys were messing with earlier. 

 

“Yeah, taunt the girl with superpowers. That’ll end well,” Will deadpanned as Lucas walked around the currently-firing Dustin and behind Eleven’s head, and brought the bat down onto her head repeatedly, bouncing the plastic bat on top as he began his own mantra consisting of, “Don’t go to sleep. Don’t go to sleep.” 

 

The boys’ voices chimed in playful discordance, and Eleven simply smiled widely as her friends attempted to keep her conscious. Will shook his head with a resigned sigh, before shrugging and shuffling over to his step-sister and began poking her arm rapidly. Eleven simply tried to keep herself from laughing, enjoying the playful atmosphere of the night.

 

“Boys.”

 

The four boys froze as Karen Wheeler stood in the doorway of the basement, wearing a robe and a tired scowl.

 

“What are you doing up so late? And why are you torturing the chief’s daughter?”

 

“We’re...pulling an all-nighter,” Mike explained lamely. The room fell silent as Mike and his mother engaged in a silent staring contest while Eleven’s head bobbed slightly, her descent into slumber quickly approaching.

 

“Just-Please keep the noise down. I’m trying to sleep, because I, unlike you, have a  _ job,”  _ His mother ordered in resignation, stepping away from the doorway and closing the basement door with a gentle push.

 

Mike snorted, face flushing with relief. Lucas frowned and smacked Eleven’s head a little harder than he had previously, snapping her awake with a sharp inhale and rapid blinking.

 

“Hey. Don’t go to sleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys like my fluffy stuff! If you want more make sure to let me know, and if you have any suggestions for potential one shots, please comment them below!❤


End file.
